Forging dies for the forging of turbine and compressor blades or vanes

ABSTRACT

A pair of forging dies for forging a turbine or compressor blade, the dies each having an impression of the required blade form and at least a part of each impression being in an insert or a plurality of inserts in each die. Spacer members are provided for locating each insert in each die in relation to the remaining inserts or in relation to a part of the impression located directly in the body of the die.

United States Patent 1 1111 3,762,210 White Oct. 2, 1973 [54] FORGING DIES FOR THE FORGING 0F 3,122,823 3/1964 La2ar 29/1568 B TURBINE AND COMPRESSOR BLADES 0R 3,226,967 1/1966 Paille 29/1568 B VANES 3,269,168 8/1966 Andersonm, 72/412 3,641,800 2/1972 Wickham 29/1568 P [75] Inventor: Denis White, Leeds, England [73] Asslgnee: 32:2??? 3:5 Budge Lmmed Primary Examiner--Charles W. Lanham g Assistant ExaminerGene P. Crosby [22] Filed: Sept. 28, 1971 Att0rney-John J. McGlew et al.

[21] Appl. No.: 184,522

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Oct 5, 1970 Great Britain 47,154/70 V M v W A pair of forging dies for forging a turbine 0r compres- [52] U.S. Cl ..62/413, 29/235, 72/473 sor blade, the dies each having an impression of the re- [51] Int. Cl ..B21j 13/02 quired blade form and at least a part of each impression [58] Field of Search 72/412, 413, 470, being in an insert or a plurality of inserts in each die. 72/473,475',29/23.5, 156.8 R, 156.8 B, 156.8 Spacer members are provided for locating each insert P in each die in relation to the remaining inserts or in relation to a part of the impression located directly in the [56] References Cited body of the die.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,792,044 5/1957 Strorn 72/413 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ie/a 6 I '11 w z 1 11 /f;' 1" I I I 1 I l I l i --1 Tl-3' /4 PATENTED BET 2 I975 SHEET 10? 2 FORGING DIES FOR THE FORGING OFTURBINE AND COMPRESSOR BLADES OR VANES The invention relates to forging dies for the forging of turbine and compressor blades or vanes having a part requiring accurate longitudinal positioning, for example a so-called snubber, mid-span or a shroud outer fixing, and has for its object to provide an improvement therein.

It is found that when hot forging turbine and compressor blades or vanes, (hereinafter termed blades) which of course must be manufactured to very close dimensional tolerances, it is extremely difficult to predict with certainty the amount of longitudinal contraction which will occur as the finished blade cools down. This is largely because of the complex shape of turbine and compressor blades.

Various attempts have been made to overcome this problem but none has been entirely satisfactory and it will be understood that the dies required for manufacturing very large turbine and compressor blades are very costly indeed. If such dies are found to be unsatisfactory and have to be scrapped, it is a very serious loss. The invention aims to at least partially overcome this problem.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a pair of forging dies for forging a turbine or compressor blade, the dies each having an impression of the required blade form and at least a part of each impression being provided in an insert or a plurality of inserts in each die, spacer members being provided for locating the or each insert in each die in relation to the remaining insert or inserts or in relation to a part of the impression located directly in the body of the die. The or each insert in each die will preferably be secured in position by means of a wedge or a plurality of wedges.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a turbine or compressor blade which has been forged in a pair of forging dies as described above.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bottom one of a pair of dies embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pair of dies, and

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 33 in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, a pair of dies and 12 are provided each with an impression of a turbine or compressor blade which is to be produced in them. As shown in FIG. 1, a tapered end of the impression is provided in a plurality of inserts 14,16,18 and 20 which are located in a recess 22 in lower die body. Impressions of the so-called snubbers 24, which are to be formed on the blade, are formed in the inserts l6 and 20. The impression of the root end of the turbine or compressor blade is provided directly in the body of the die. The upper die body is provided with similar inserts in a recess 26. (The recesses 22 and 26 in the die bodies are formed in the example illustrated, see FIG. 3, by several body parts secured together by cap head screws 38 and located by dowels 40, but it will be understood that they could be formed in solid one-piece bodies if preferred).

As shown in the drawings, the inserts in the lower die and the inserts in the upper die are secured in position by means of a plurality of wedges 28,30 and 32, 34 and located in exactly the correct positions in three dimensions by means of a plurality of spacer members 36.

The arrangement is such that a trial turbine or compressor blade can be forged in the dies and can then be checked, after it has cooled down, for dimensional accuracy. If the blade is not exactly as required, especially as regards longitudinal dimensions, the inserts in the dies can be re-located as required by the use of new spacer members or by some slight machining of the existing spacers.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, particularly with regard to the manner in which the or each insert is located in postion in each die. For example, it has been found that the wedges 32 and 34 which clamp the inserts laterally in the recesses can be omitted since as previously stated it is the longitudinal dimensions which are the most critical and which must be capable of correction. It will also be understood that the forged blades will be subjected to various finishing operations after forging.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A pair of forging dies for forging a turbine or compressor blade, the dies each having an impression of the required blade form and at least a part of each impression being in a plurality of inserts in each die, spacer members being provided for locating each insert in each die in relation to the remaining inserts or in relation to a part of the impression located directly in the body of the die.

2. A pair of forging dies according to claim 1, in which the inserts in each die are secured in position by means of a plurality of wedges. 

1. A pair of forging dies for forging a turbine or compressor blade, the dies each having an impression of the required blade form and at least a part of each impression being in a plurality of inserts in each die, spacer members being provided for locating each insert in each die in relation to the remaining inserts or in relation to a part of the impression located directly in the body of the die.
 2. A pair of forging dies according to claim 1, in which the inserts in each die are secured in position by means of a plurality of wedges. 